LIVERPOOL are set to make the first summer signing after having agreed a fee with Portsmouth for England full-back Glen Johnson.

The Reds have been linked with the defender for some time while Pompey executive chairman, Peter Storrie, claimed last week that Johnson's former club Chelsea were willing to pay £18m for the 24-year-old.

A statement on Liverpool's official website this evening said, "We have reached an agreement with Portsmouth and Glen Johnson for the transfer of the player to Anfield."

No details have yet emerged about the fee but it is thought the South-coast club still owed Liverpool money from the Peter Crouch transfer last summer.

Speculation continues that current Reds full-backs Andrea Dossena and Alvaro Arbeloa could yet be sold which would help fund the transfer, with Rafa Benitez still keen to strengthen his squad in other areas as well.

Johnson began his career with West Ham before becoming Roman Abramovic's first ever signing at Chelsea in the summer of 2003 for a fee of £6 million.

After making only 35 League appearances in three years at Stamford Bridge, the London-born defender moved to Portsmouth on a season-long loan in August 2006 before signing a permanent deal at Fratton Park a year later.

Having established himself in both the Portsmouth and England set-ups, Johnson signed a new four-year deal with Pompey earlier this year but club officials accepted they could not stand in his way if he was offered the opportunity to move to a club playing in the Champions League.

Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie said last week: "Glen has obviously had a fantastic season season for us and has established himself as one of the best right-backs in the league if not the country at the moment.

"I’ve known Glen for a long time since his West Ham days so when I re-signed him we talked it over and he asked if one of the big four clubs, who were in the Champions League, came in for him would we stand in his way of a move.

"I said that I couldn’t do that provided the deal is good for Portsmouth and for Glen."